Pandemic

Think Pragati's analysts discuss the costs and logistical issues involved in delivering a COVID-19 vaccine in India. The episode also delves into how India can prioritise parts of the population to ensure an effective response.The forward-looking episode is one of the most informative takes on vaccine delivery in India, where resources in terms of costs and logistical infrastructure are severely constrained.

Manegav Bazar in Bhandara district of Maharashtra is a rarity in the state – zero COVID-19 cases. Max Maharashtra speaks to Rita Tai Sukhdev, the sarpanch of the village, to find the winning formula. What they found was a pro-active initiated disaster management committee, strict implementation of guidelines, door-to-door visits for motivation and screening by youth-volunteers and quarantine facilities at a local school for migrants returning to the villages. The story served as an inspiration for other districts in the country as an example of how the community at the local level can come together to combat the Coronavirus. Especially when the state's response to the challenge has been tardy and ineffective.

The Caravan argues that the "compulsory" use of technology ostensibly to trace and fight the Covid pandemic - like the Aarogya Setu app - can be misused by the agencies of the state. It can lead to the state exercising the power of exclusion and denial of service, upon the citizen's refusal to install the app. More dangerously, the app can be used for surveillance against the citizen. The time of the Covid has seen governments of countries across the world designing very intrusive systems for battling the dire public-health emergency. However, as this story points, it may, even if inadvertently, have serious consequences on a citizen’s right to privacy and fundamental liberties.

Jagadish Yadav from Reva in Madhya Pradesh used the CGNet Swara helpline to inform listeners that over 1,000 people from Reva district had not received ration and food supplies from the administration during the lockdown. This also included those who did not have ration cards. After his message was published, listeners reached out to the District Collector who helped the affected people with food rations. Similar stories were also shared by people in Pune and Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli who were stuck without food supplies during the lockdown and received help immediately after they recorded their messages on the CGNet Swara helpline.

The Lede reported on the struggles of Indian Covid-positive migrant workers in the UAE who were unable to find facilities to quarantine safely. The Indian Embassy in UAE, in response to The Lede's story, arranged safe spaces in Dubai to enable the workers to quarantine themselves.

Janjwar reported on how a migrant youth from Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP died by suicide after being severely assaulted by a policeman when he stepped out of a quarantine centre to buy essential supplies. Before his death, the youth had recorded an audio clip naming the constable and sought action against him. The video story by Janjwar was watched by close to 19 million people on Facebook. Following the coverage by Janjwar, the police ordered an investigation against the accused.